No matter how disconnected a Jew may be from Judaism, he is still likely to be appalled by the idea of worshipping Jesus. And that poses a great dilemma for Christian missionaries seeking to convert Jews.
Given this problem, some missionaries got the idea to try a backdoor tactic. They invented "Jews for Jesus," which uses a whole lexicon of Jewish-sounding buzz words in order to make Jesus more palatable to Jews. For example:
- Members of Jews for Jesus don't go to church, they go to a "Messianic Synagogue."
- Prayer is not held on Sunday, but on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.
- They say that by accepting Jesus as Messiah, you're not converting to Christianity, you're instead becoming "a fulfilled Jew."
- The New Testament is called Brit Chadasha (Hebrew for "New Covenant").
- It's not the cross, it's "the tree."
- It's not baptism, but immersing in a mikveh.
- It's not a communion wafer, but matzah.
- Congregants wear a tallit and kipa, and bring a Torah scroll out of the Holy Ark -- just like every other synagogue. After all, they proudly proclaim, Jesus himself was a Jew!
Their missionary campaigns are well-funded and relentless. The Jews for Jesus organization has spent millions of dollars in print and radio advertising, and has run a campaign of banner ads in New York City subways and on major web sites. If you see one of these ads, you should write a letter of protest to the host organization.
It is the responsibility of all Jews to take a stand.
Joan Rivers started screaming on the air after a commercial for Jews for Jesus aired on her radio show.
Comedienne Joan Rivers started screaming on the air after a commercial for Jews for Jesus aired on her radio show. The ad featured two Jewish men arguing over whether Jesus is the Jewish messiah, while the Jewish song Hava Nagillah played in the background. "Do not proselytize on my show," Rivers ranted. "I was born a Jew and I plan to die a Jew. How dare you advertise on my show. I find this disgusting, I find this offensive, and I find this ridiculous!"
THE REAL MESSIANIC JEWSJews for Jesus is a subversive organization. The missionaries' approach to ensnare unsuspecting people includes quoting Torah verses out of context and gross mis-translations.
These deceptions are most successful with Jews who have no knowledge of their own Jewish heritage.
These deceptions are most successful with Jews who have no knowledge of their own Jewish heritage. In Russia, for example, where Jewish education had been suppressed for 70 years, missionaries sponsor "Jewish revival meetings," where a tallit-clad clergyman asks throngs of unsuspecting Russian Jews to "accept Jesus into your heart."
The sad thing is that tens of thousands of Jews (including an estimated 50,000 in Israel today) have fallen for this falsehood.
Ironically, Jews really could be called "Messianic Jews." One of Maimonides' classical "13 Principles of Faith" is:
I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come.
There are two excellent organizations which counteract missionary activities and have succeeded in attracting "converts" back to Judaism. You can find them online at http://www.jewsforjudaism.org and http://www.outreachjudaism.org.















(45) Nathan Hevenstone , February 27, 2007
Christians and Jews can Coexist, but not like this...
It is quite possible for Jews and Christians (and even Muslims) to coexist, because regardless of our beliefs, our roots are all the same.
However, we cannot coexist if organizations like the Jews for Jesus are running around. Believing Jesus is the Messiah goes against they very foundation of Judaism and the original Messianic Prophecy. Jesus shot down the Torah and many of its commandments. How can any Jew believe in a man who turned his back on his own religion, at least, according to the Gospels?
I honestly wish Christians would stop fighting Jews and vice-versa. We have to find a way to bridge the gap. It is quote possible, but the efforts of organizations/cults like the Jews for Jesus are only making that gap considerably wider, and it needs to stop.
Thank you, Rabbi Shraga, for this article. I have begun to read this site constantly, and enjoy it's articles immensely.
Oh, and I am aware that this comment is coming in quite a long time after the writing and posting of this article. I only discovered this article a few days ago, though I have been interested in the reasoning behind the creation of the Jews for Jesus cult for quite some time, in as much as being able to learn to know how to combat their statements.
(44) David Elias , November 16, 2005
Challenge to Christians
This year was the first time that I ever took the time to look at WHY ?
Why do the jews believe that the Messiah has not come? (From their point of veiw) I had always looked at it from the christian point of veiw and now after looking at it from the Jewish side, I can see without a doubt that the Jews were right all along. Also, knowing what I know about G_d and how the Jewish people want to follow hashem with their utmost, "How could millions of jews for thousands of years be wrong? and I right? after they were the people who were given the Torah and studied it in their own language for thousands of years before?
My deepest appologies to the Jewish people for being so blind, biased and ignorant of their belief.
I now have a sincere desire to convert to Judaism from christianity.
I want to follow hashem to my utmost and only with the help of the Jewish people am I going to be able to do this.
Shalom !
(43) Anonymous , December 2, 2004
Former Jew for Jesus ("Completed Jew", Messianic Jew)
In the Orlando area back in the 80's I spent one year among the Pentacostals and the Messianic Jews. It is without a doubt a mind controlling cult.
(42) leo , December 1, 2003
If I may:
in regard to the christains that post thier heartfelt empathy for us jews:
please give it a rest.
i find these comments absolutely repulsive and utterly stupid.
the only regret about killed jews is that "there goes another potential convert, too bad."
how has christianty understood what J.C. meant when he said "i will not return until you call my name"?- it's always been a call to convert jews. "do not go to the gentile, only to the lord's flock, the house of israel." "the jew first, then the gentile" etc..
the fact that the JfJ. would molest our heritage to promote lies is even more disgusting. for how many years has the christian faith had no use for a torah scroll. and now, suddenly, its in style.
the mutilation of our holy passover seder is also neausiating. i dont even have the words to express myself. what an underhanded, deceiveing, group of liars! (see II Cor.)
HOW DO THEY EVEN KNOW WHAT TEFILIN ARE!!?? and if theyr'e supposed to listen to the rabbi's, why dont they listen about disregarding J.C.?
the bottom line is that the religions are diametrically opposed. and although jews do not harbor bad feelings for gentiles, i believe that "making freinds" would only be disastrous.
also: "the people who oppressed you weren't real christians"- i thought it says "a good tree doesn't bear bad fruit!"
thanks for letting me vent.
p.s. "why can't a jew beleive in J.C.?"
see EXO. 20:2-4, and Maimonidies 13 PRINCIPALS of faith
(41) pedro lugo , January 22, 2003
Jesus is God John 1-1
Roman catholicism is not christianity. Please.